Vapor-tight fluorescent lamp fixture



y 1957 J. DUNKER ET AL 2,791,681

' VAPOR-TIGHT FLUORESCENT LAMP FIXTURE Filed Dec. 14, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2.

INVENTORS z/OSEF DUN/(ER DEWE) M E VANS @464, M014) dew ATTORNEYS May 7, 1957 J. DUNKER ET AL VAPOR-TIGHT FLUORESCENT'LAMP FIXTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 14, 1953 FIG. 3.

IIIIIHIIIHIMHIIH lNVENTORS (/OSEF DUN/(5R ee-may m. swan/5 a d? M04413 ATTORNEYS y 1957 J. DUNKER ET AL 2,791,681

VAPOR-TIGHT FLUORESCENT LAMP FIXTURE Filed Dec. 14, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 /4 32 -zzzaza'azzzzu im l lill v INVENTORS (/OSEF owvms'R BYDE'WEY M. Eva/vs y 7, 1957 J. DUNKER ET AL 2,791,681

VAPOR-TIGHT FLUORESCENT LAMP FIXTURE Filed Dec. l4, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORSJ, 0055/ DU/V/(E/P 4 26, MMd L ATTORNEY$ VAPOR-TIGHT FLUORESCENT LAMP FIXTURE Josef Dunker, Detroit, and Dewey M. Evans, Belleville, Mich., assignors to Ajem Laboratories, Inc, Detroit, Mich.

Application December 14, 1953, Serial No. 398,056

8 Claims. (Cl. 240-5111) This invention relates to fluorescent lamp fixtures and more particularly to such fixtures having improved hinge and lock structures.

The present invention may be regarded as an improvement on the fluorescent lamp fixture shown and described in the copending U. S. Patent application of Josef Dunker, Serial No. 393,339, filed November 20, 1953. In that application, a vapor-tight fluorescent lamp fixture is described which can be serviced rapidly without need for special tools. The lens cover is hinged to provide easy access to the interior of the fixture but is arranged to permit movement of the lens cover in a direction transverse to the plane of the lens cover so that an eifective seal can be formed entirely around the edges of the cover by means of suitably positioned spring clips.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the same advantageous sealing features are provided with improved hinge and lock structures that make it easier to replace the cover lens with a new one and which provide ready access to the interior of the fixture either from the front or rear of the lamp.

Other aspects, objects and advantages of this invention ttes Patent 2,791,68'1 Patented May 7, 1957 2 Figure 11 is a partial perspective view showing a modification of the hinge-spring latch shown in Figure 9;

Figure 12 is a partial perspective view illustrating still another modification of the hinge-latch of Figure 9;

Figure 13 is a partial sectional view showing a modification of the hinge-latch structure of Figure 12, the view being shown as though taken along line 1313 of will in part be pointed out in and in part apparent from the following detailed description of a vapor-tight fluorescent lamp fixture embodying the invention and various modifications thereof together with an alternative hinge arrangement, the structures being illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a vapor-tight fluorescent lamp fixture mounted in a ceiling panel;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same lamp fixture, unmounted and viewed from above;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the lamp fixture shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 4--4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged partial end view taken along line 55 of Figure 3 with a portion of the housing cut away, showing the relative movement between the hinge pin and the housing when the lens cover is opened;

Figure 6 is a partial perspective view further illustrating the hinge arrangement shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 77 of Figure 3 showing the locking arrangement by which the housing and frame are releasably secured together;

Figure 8 is an enlarged partial perspective view taken approximately along the line 8-8 of Figure 7, portions of the structure being cut away to illustrate the hinge and lock construction;

Figure 9 is an enlarged perspective view similar to Figure 7 but taken approximately along line 9-9 of Figure 7;

Figure 10 is an end-view showing the ways in which the housing of the lamp fixture can be opened from the rear when combination hinge-catches are provided on both sides of the lamp;

Figure 12; and

Figure 14 shows an alternative hinge arrangement for the removable lens cover, the view being an enlarged partial perspective as though seen approximately along the line 1414 of Figure 3.

The fluorescent lamp fixture shown in Figures 1 through 9 includes a rectangular metal frame 2 (see Figures 2 and 4) having an outwardly extending flange 4 by which the lamp is secured to the ceiling, side wall, or other supports, for example, by mounting screws 6 or other means. The frame 2 also has an inwardly extending flange 8 which assists in positioning a housing 10 that forms a removable rear cover for the fixture.v For the purpose of this description, the side of the fixture covered by the housing 10 will be referred to as the rear of the fixture and the side on which is positioned a cover 12 having a transparent window 14 is referred to as the front of the fixture.

The housing 10 may be formed of sheet metal, such as steel, aluminum, or inert stainless steel and is provided with a rear wall 16 having forwardly-extending and outwardly-flaring side walls 18 and end-plates 20 joining the side and rear walls. All of the joints and seams of the housing are sealed, as by welding, soldering, or forming the various parts from a single metal sheet, to prevent the entrance of flammable vapors into the interior of the fixture. The housing 10 is provided also with an outwardly-extending flange 22 extending completely around the housing and having an upturned edge portion 24.

One edge of the flange 22 of the housing is secured along its entire length to the frame 2 by means of a piano hinge 26, one portion of which is secured to the inner surface of the frame 2 and the other portion of which is secured to the adjacent outer surface of the upturned edge portion 24 of the housing flange 22. The housing is thus movable between an open position, the partially-open position of the housing being shown in broken lines in Figure 4, and a closed position, shown in solid lines in Figure 4, in which the housing 10 is secured to the frame 2 by spring-latches 28 which will be described in detail later.

The front cover 12 has a rectangular metal frame 32 of U-shaped cross-section which supports the transparent panel or lens 14, usually made of glass. This cover is secured in position by a number of manually-operable spring catches 34 distributed around the cover 12 and which are secured to the flange 4 and have resilientlysupported clamping arms 36 that press the cover 12 into engagement with a resilient tubular gasket 38 mounted on the. flange 22 of the housing 10. The construction of these spring catches 34 and the gasket 38 can be as described in the above-identified copending patent application. The gasket 38 can be secured in position on the flange 22 by means of lances, as described in the same application, or by any other suitable means.

The cover 12 is hingedly secured to the frame 2 so that when the spring-catches 34 are released, by moving the clamping arms 36 to the position shown in broken lines in the right-hand part of Figure 4, the cover will swing downwardly as indicated in broken lines in the same figure. By this means ready access is provided to the interior of the fixture to permit servicing or cleaning of the fixture or interior parts.

This cover is supported at one end by a fixed hinge pin .42'(Figures 3 and 6) that is secured to the frame 32 of the cover 12 and extends out the end of the lamp fixture through an opening 44 in the frame 2. At the 3. opposite end of the fixture, the cover 12 is hingedly supported by a similar hinge pin 46 extending outwardly through an opening 48 in the frame 2 but which is retractable into the frame 32 to permit removal of the cover 12. The openings 44 and 48 in the frame 2 for the hinge pins 42 and 46 are substantially larger than the diameter of the respective hingepins so that the cover 12 is free to move rearwardly' into compressive engagement with the gasket 38 entirely around the periphery of the cover 12 and thus provide an effective seal when the cover is closed and placed under pressure by the spring-catches 34. That is, lost motion is provided in the hinge structure to permit limited motion of the cover 12 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the cover when it is closed. These same openings permit some limited lateral movement of the cover 12, in its own plane, so that it can seat itself most efiectively on the gasket 38 as'the" spring catches 34 are closed. The approximate normal position of the pin 42 in the opening 44 when the cover is closed is'shown in solid lines in Figure and the position it assumes as the cover is swung open is indicated in broken lines. The pin 46 moves similarly relative to its opening48.

In order to provide for the retraction of 'thefhinge pin 46 into the frame 32, this pin extends through an opening in the edge of the cover frarne32 and "is securedto the end of a plunger 52 of rectangular cross-section (see Fig ure 8) which is slidably positioned within a sp rin'g supporting :cup 54 of similar cross-section. A coil spring 56 is positioned within the cup 54 and is maintained in compression between the closed end of the cup 54 and one end of the plunger 52. To permit manual retraction of the hinge pin 46, a hinge-release arm 58 is secured to the side of the plunger 52 and extends outwardly through a slot 62 in the side of the spring-supporting cup 54 and a slot 64 in the frame 32 of the cover 12. To remove the cover 12, the spring-catches 34 are released allowing the cover to swing open and the hinge-release arm 58 is then grasped and moved toward the right, as viewed in Figure 8, releasing that end of the cover so that it can be moved downwardly and then lengthwise to pull the. fixed hinge-pin 42 out of the opening 44. The cover 12 can be replaced readily by following the reverse procedure.

In order to open the housing to permit servicing the fixture from the rear, the spring-latches 28, positioned at opposite ends 'of the fixture as shown in Figure 3, are released by moving the loop-shaped actuating arms 66 (Figures 7, 8 and 9) toward the center of the fixture and swinging the housing. 10 open around the pianotype hinge 26.

The construction of. the latches 28 is the same and therefore only one. ofthem is described in connection with Figures 8 and 9. The latch 28 is provided with a locking pin 68 which engages aligned openingsin the frame 2 and in the upturned edge portion 24 of the housing flange 22. The pin 68 preferably'is tapered and engages these openings snugly so that no lost motion or play exists between the housing 10 and the frame 2.

The locking pin 68 is secured to or formed integrally with. a plunger 72 of rectangular cross-section that is slidably positioned within a spring-retaining cup 74 of similar cross-section that is spot-welded or otherwise secured to the flange 22 of the housing 18. A coil spring 76 is maintained in compression between the closed end of the cup 74 and the end of the plunger 72. The actuating arm 66 is secured to the side of the plunger 72 and extends outwardly through a slot 78 in the side of the cupr74.

Because the locking pin 68 engages anJopening in the edge portion 24 of the flange 22 as'well as an opening in the frame 2, any lost motion between the plunger 72 and the surrounding cup 74 is not transmitted to the locked structures. The arrangement eliminates "the need for extreme precision in the construction and placement of the spring-latch and permits the plunger *72"'to be made enough smaller than the cup 74 to insure freedom of longitudinal movement without binding.

The actuating arm 66 of the spring-latches 28 and the hinge-release arm 58 may be permanently secured to their respective plungers but this is not essential. If desired, each of the plungers may be provided with a threaded or unthreaded bore so that the arm 66 or arm 58 can be used as a key and inserted in the bore'only when it is desired to release the respective latch or hinge.

A number of fluorescent lamps'82, 84, and 86'(Figure 4) are mounted within the housing 10 on a reflector panel 88. Suitable ballast and transformer apparatus, diagrammatically illustrated at 92, is secured to the rear wall 16 behind the reflector panel 88. The arrangement of the components Within the housing 10 and the construction of those portions of the fixture not described fully herein may be identical with the principles and details set forth in the above-identified copending application.

If the piano-hinge 26 is replaced by two additional spring-latches 28, one at either end of the fixture, the housing 10 may be released on either side and the other two spring-latches used as hinges. Thus, the housing can be opened to either of the two positions indicated in broken lines in Figure 10, or by releasing all four spring-latches the housing 10 can be removed completely.

Although the housing 10 is releasably secured to the frame 2 as is the cover 12, it will be noted that the gasket 38 is positioned directly between the cover 12 and the housing 2 so that only a single sealing gasket is required and so that all of the hinge and locking structures are outside of the sealed or vapor-tight portion of thefixture.

Figure 11 shows a modified form of the spring-latch 28, indicated as 28A, in which parts identical with or similar to parts shown in the preceding views are referred to by corresponding numerals followed by the suffix A. In this latch the plunger 72A is round in cross-section so that it can be rotated within the spring-supporting cup 74A to lock the pin 68A in its retracted position. For this reason, the slot 78A is L-shaped to receive and hold the arm 66A when the bolt is retracted and the arm rotated into the crosswise portion of the slot.

Figure 12 shows still another lock arrangement in which certain parts performing functions similar to corresponding parts in the earlier figures are referred to by corresponding numerals followed by the suffix B. This lock 28B includes a metal block 74B that is secured to the housing flange 22. A longitudinally movable bolt 68B extends into a bore in one end of the block 74B with which it forms a sliding fit. This bolt is biased outwardly by a spring (not shown) and is provided with an actuating arm 66B that extends outwardly through an L-shaped slot 78A. When in its extended position, the bolt 68B engages an opening in a locking member 96 that is firmly secured to the frame 2 as by machine screws 98. With the arrangement of Figure 12, somewhat greater precision is required in themanufacture of the components than with the previously described arrangements.

Figure 13 shows a locking arrangement similar to that of Figure 12 except that the block 74B has been replaced by a tubular barrel 74C that is welded to an angle bracket other means to the front side of the frame 32, and has a T-shaped extension including a neck or connecting portion 112 anda cross-bar member 114. The neck 112 extends through the slot 104 and the cross-bar 114 serves "'"as a-retaining member to secure the'cover 12 to the frame 2. Two or more such hinge structures can b'e provided along the length of the cover 12in lieu of the previously described structures. When the fixture is closed, tlie'cover 12 is held in position by the spring-catches 34 .as described previously. .Tl1e,desired freedom of the cover to move perpendicularly to its own plane is provided by movement of the neck portion 112 along the slot 104.

To remove the lens cover from the frame 2 for replacement, the screws 110 are removed to free the frame 32. The hinge member 106 can then be removed from the frame 2 by turning the member crosswise so that the cross-bar 114 is aligned with the slot 104.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the fluorescent lamp fixture described above represents a substantial improvement over the fixtures now in use and that it is commercially practicable from the standpoints of cost, fabrication, installation and servicing.

We claim:

1. A vapor-tight fluorescent lamp fixture comprising a box-like housing having an open face, a frame for said housing arranged to surround said open face, hinge mechanism securing a portion of said housing near said open face to said frame, a cover having a light transmitting window and arranged to close the open side of said housing, at least two hinge structures at spaced positions along said cover, each of said hinge structures having a hinge pin extending between said housing and said frame, at least one of said pins being retractable longitudinally to release said cover from said frame, each of said hinge structures having sufiicient lost motion to permit significant movement of all portions of said cover in a direction perpendicular to its own plane when the cover is closed, and a gasket forming a seal between said cover and said housing to form a vapor-tight enclosure, said hinge mechanism, hinge structures, and frame being wholly outside said enclosure.

2. A vapor-tight fluorescent lamp fixture comprising a box-like housing having an open face, a frame for said housing arranged to surround said open face, hinge mechanism securing a portion of said housing near said open face to said frame, a cover having a light transmitting window and arranged to close the open side of said housing, at least two hinge structures at spaced positions along said cover, each of said hinge structures having a hinge pin extending from said cover into said frame, at least one of said pins being retractible longitudinally to release said cover from said frame, spring bias means normally maintaining said retractible pin in its extended position, each of said hinge structures having suflicient lost motion to permit significant movement of all portions of said cover in a direction perpendicular to its own plane when the cover is closed, and a gasket forming a seal between said cover and said housing to form a vapor-tight enclosure, said hinge mechanism, hinge structures, and frame being wholly outside said enclosure.

3. A vapor-tight fluorescent lamp fixture comprising a frame, adapted to be secured to a supporting structure, a box-like housing having an open face, hinge means securing one side of said housing near said open face to said frame, releasable latch means for securing the other side of said housing near said open face to said frame, a cover having a light transmitting window and arranged to close the open side of said housing, at least two hinge structures at spaced positions along said cover for swingably connecting said cover to said frame, each of said hinge structures having a hinge pin extending between said frame and said cover, at least one of said pins being retractable longitudinally to release said cover from said frame, each of said hinge structures having sufficient lost motion to permit significant movement of all portions of said cover in a direction perpendicular to its own plane when the cover is closed, and a gasket forming a seal directly between said cover and said housing to form a vapor-tight enclosure, said hinge means and hinge structures and frame all being wholly outside said enclosure.

4. A vapor-tight fluorescent lamp fixture comprising a rectangular frame, a box-likehousing having an open face, means securing said housing to said frame, including a hingemeans'on one side of said frame and said housing and a retractable bolt on the opposite side thereof, said bolt extending through aligned openings in said housing and said frame, a cover having a light transmitting window and arranged to closethe open side of saidltousing, at least two hinge structures at spaced positions along said cover for swingably connecting said cover to said frame, each of said hinge structures having a hinge pin extending between said frame and said cover, at least one of said pins being retractable longitudinally to release said cover from said frame, each of said hinge structures having suificient lost motion to permit significant movement of all portion-s of said cover in a direction perpendicular to its own plane when the cover is closed, and a gasket forming a seal directly between said cover and said housing to form a vapor-tight enclosure, said hinge structures being wholly outside said enclosure.

5. A vapor-tight fluorescent lamp fixture comprising a frame, a housing having one open side, a plurality of electrically operated lamps in said housing, a removable cover secured to said frame, hinge means connecting one side of said housing to said frame, releasable latch means securing the other side of said housing to said frame, said latch means being secured to said housing and having a retractable bolt with a tapered end portion normally extending into engagement with said housing and said cover, spring means normally maintaining said bolt in its extended position, and an actuating arm connected to said bolt to permit manual retraction thereof, and gasket sealing means positioned to engage directly said cover and said housing.

6. A vapor-tight fluorescent lamp fixture comprising a frame having an opening therein, said frame having first and second flanges with said first flange extending outwardly from said opening generally parallel to the plane of the frame and being adapted for securing the frame to a supporting structure and the second flange extending generally perpendicular to the plane of the frame and defining said opening, a hollow housing having an open face, a third flange on said housing defining the perimeter of said open face and adapted to fit closely within said second flange when said housing is in its closed position in said frame, first hinge means securing one side of said housing to said frame, releasable latch means locking the other side of said housing in its closed position in said frame, a cover having a light transmitting window and having a perimeter adapted to fit closely within said second flange when said cover is in said closed position in said frame and arranged to close over the open face of said housing when both said housing and said cover are in their closed positions, second releasable hinge means securing one edge of said cover to said frame, said second hinge means having lost motion suflicient to enable significant movement of all portions of said cover in a direction toward said housing when both said cover and housing are in their closed positions, a gasket forming a seal directly between said cover and said housing around said open face when both said cover and housing are in their closed positions, and spring clamp means arranged to interengage said cover and frame to push said cover toward said housing when both said cover and housing are in their closed positions.

7. A vapor tight fluorescent lamp fixture as claimed in claim 6 and wherein said first hinge means secure one portion of said third flange to said second flange and said spring latch means secures another portion of said third flange to said second flange and wherein said second releasable hinge means secure one edge of said cover to said second flange and said spring clamp means are mounted on said frame at spaced points around said opening.

8. A vapor-tight fluorescent lamp fixture as claimed in 

